Machine for making packing.



W. G. STAPLES.

mar-[ms FOR MAKING PACKING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1909. 1 9 1 22 1 m Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

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. THE NORRIS PETERS CO., FHO1U LITHQ,\VA5HINCTON. D. C.

W. G. STAPLES.

momma FOR MAKING PACKING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1909. 1 1 Patented Dec. 22, 1914,

3 $HEETSSHEET 2.

lllguimn ll W. G. STAPLES. MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1909.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

3 SHEETS-$1133? 3.

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THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHU.. WASHINGI'ON. D. c.

main are a WILLARD G. STAPLES, 0F NEWB URYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FEDERAL METALLIC PACKING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR- MAKING PACKING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Application filed June 29, 1909. Serial No. 505,036.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD G. STAPLEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newburyport, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Packing, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machines for making packing for piston-rods, pumps, valves and the like and applies particularly to such machines designed to produce packing in a continuous or rope form.

The main object of the invention is to provide a machine, automatic in operation, adapted to make and deliver in a continuous form packing comprising a central body or core and an outer body made up of one or more layers of material wound transversely around the said core.

Further objects of the invention are; first, to provide means for assembling a plurality of strands to form a core; second, to afford facilities for feeding a core, made up of a single piece or of a plurality of pieces, through the machine; third, to furnish means for winding evenly on the core as it is drawn through the machine, one or more layers of suitable material; and fourth, to secure means whereby the relative speeds of the feeding and the winding mechanisms may be accurately adjusted in order that the material composing the outer body of the packing may be wound closely and evenly around the core.

The following is a clear description of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the preferred form of the inven tion, the packing, in its progress through the machine, being shown by dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4L is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the spool-table and gear; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the means for guiding the packing as it passes through the winding mechanism and for guiding the strands of material when wound around the core; Fig. 6 is an enlarged View in perspecti'i 'e showing the method of mounting the spools on the spool-table; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of a guide; and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the means for adjusting the feed-roll.

Although this invention is designed with particular reference to the manufacture of packing, the machine is adapted to and may be used for similar purposes in other arts.

A brief and general description of the machine and its mode of operation is as follows:

The machine comprises broadly means for forming a core or central portion from a plurality of strands of suitable material, means for feeding the core thus formed through the machine and means for winding around the core in its progress one or more layers of suitable material. In addition thereto, means are provided for winding mechanism in either for adjusting accurately the feeding mechanism in relation of the winding means.

The machine consists of a table or frame having arranged on racks in its lower portion a series of reels containing the strands of material of which the core of the packing is'composed. These strands are led from the reels through an assembling ring to a grooved wheel where they are gathered into a body or core which then passes upwardly through the machine through the center of a revolving disk and to the feeding mechanism. Upon the revolving disk or spool-table is arranged a series of spools or bobbins suitably mounted and containing the material to be wound about the core. The ends of the strands on the spools are aliiXed to the core and as the spool-table is revolved and the core drawn through, the strands are thereby wound about the core. If more than one layer is desired the strands are laid on the core at different levels by suitable guides. The spool-table is revolved by means of a rack-gear secured to it and connected by intermediate gang-gears with driving means and by adjusting these intermediate gang-gears by means of a lever the spool-table may be revolved in either direction. The feeding mechanism comprises a grooved feedwheel, mounted above the winding mechanism, over which the completed packing passes and to which it is held by an adjustable feed-roll. The grooved feed-wheel and feed-roll are driven direction and speed of the to the speed turning the by power and means are provided for adjusting their speed with reference to the speed of the spool-table and to the number of transverse layers wound about the core.

In operating the machine, it is first necessary to form the core by hand since the feeding mechanism is arranged to draw the materials through the machine by operating upon the finished packing. The strands making up the core are drawn from the reels through the assembling ring, over the grooved wheel, then through the center of the spool-table, and over the feed-wheel. The strands from the spools on the spool-table are then led through the guides and guide rings and the ends secured to the core, after which the machine may be started up and operated continuously so long as the material on the spool-table holds out. hen necessary the machine may be stopped for an instant to install full spools and to connect the strands. When the reels of the material making up the core become empty, a full reel may be installed and connected without stopping the machine.

In the drawing showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a table or frame of any suitable design adapted to support the various parts of the machine. For the purpose of illustrating the operation of the machine, the packing is delineated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The packing 2 is made up of strands 3 wound transversely around a core 4 composed of strands 5.

The means for forming the core comprises the following: In the lower part of the frame 1 are arranged racks 6, each adapted to hold a series of reels 7 containing the strands 5 from which the core is made. The strands 5 are led from the reels 7 to a ring 8 centrally located where they are assembled before passing to a grooved wheel 9 journaled in suitable supports 10. The core is finally formed by the wheel 9 and then passes upwardly through the machine. To prevent the reels 7 from feeding the material faster than required, a coil spring 11 is mounted on each rack 6 at each end of each series of reels, and is compressed between the end reel and a pin 12 set in the rack.

After being formed by the grooved wheel 9 the core is drawn upwardly through the winding device (to be hereinafter described) and fed from the machine by the following mechanism which operates on the finished packing. A feed-wheel 15 is mounted on one end of :1V shaft 16 which turns in suitable bearings 17 on standards 18 and 19; said feed-wheel having a deeply grooved circumference or rim provided with a rasped surface to aiford a firm grip on the packing. On the other end of shaft 16 is a gear 20 which enmeshes with a pinion 21 on a shaft 22 mounted in bearings 23 supported by lateral extensions on standards 18 and 19. A driving pulley 21 on said shaft 22 is connected by a belt 25 to a power shaft and thereby, through the medium of the shaft 22, pinion 21, gear 20 and shaft 16, rotates the feed-wheel 15.

Cooperating with the feed-wheel 15 is a feed-roll operated by shaft 16 and adjustably arranged as follows: A rectangular frame 27 is pivotally mounted at one end upon the axle of the feed-wheel 15 and within the frame is a yoke 28 carrying an adjustable feed-roll 29, the axle 30 of which extends through the ends of the yoke and into slots 31 in the long sides of the frame 27 thereby supporting the ends of the yoke within the frame. The yoke is further supported by lugs 32 extending laterally into slots 31 and by an adjusting screw 33 which is screw-threaded through the free end of the frame 27 and controls the movement of the yoke 28 within the frame for the purpose of regulating the pressure exerted by the feed-roll 29 upon the packing. (See Fi g. 8.) In order that the feedroll may yield to a slight extent in case any lumps should occur in the packing, the end of the adjusting screw 33 is made smooth and fits loosely in the yoke. A fixed collar 34: on the end of the screw prevents the yoke leaving the screw and a spring 35 carried by a threaded collar 36 serves to keep the yoke 28 in contact with the collar 31 except when lumps occur in the packing, in which. case the yoke is pushed up on the screw 33 against the spring 35 until the lump has passed between the feed-roll 29 and feed-wheel 15. The

pressure exerted on the yoke by the spring 35 may be regulated by turning the threaded collar 36 on the adjusting screw 3.

For the purpose of turning the feed-roll 29 the axle 30 is extended on one side and provided with a pulley 37 connected by a belt 38 with a double crowned pulley 39 suitably mounted on standards on the table 1. The pulley 39 is turned by a belt 10 running from a pulley 11 mounted on the shaft 16, the said belt 10 being crossed in order that the feed-roll 29 and feed-wheel 15 may be turned in opposite directions. It will be noticed that the frame 27 is supported at one end on the axle of the feed-wheel 15 and is pivotally movable. It is therefore necessary to provide means to draw the other end of the frame 27 upwardly in order that the pulley 37 may be maintained in friction contact with the belt 38. This result may be accomplished by any suitable supporting means but I have found it preferable to provide an eye-bolt 42 in the frame 27 to which a rope 43 may be attached and the other end thereof fastened to some support above the machine or the rope 43 may be passed over a sheave arranged above the machine and a heavy weight fastened to the end of the rope. A. trough as is provided to receive the strip of packing as it emerges from between the roll 15 and tension roll 29 and to lead it from the machine.

Between the core-forming and the feeding mechanisms, is located the Winding means whereby the core receives one or more layers of transversely wound strands. A revolving disk or spool-table 50 having a central opening 51 through which the core passes, is rotatably mounted on the table 1 and contains a plurality of spools 52 arranged on the outer portion of the spool-table 50. The latter rests upon a flanged bearing ring 53 (see Fig. 4) and is secured thereto by long depending studs 5l supporting at their lower ends a plate 55 carrying a gear 56. Secured to the plate 55 in the center is a flanged bearing ring 5'7 running in a box or bearing 58 which is supported by depending hangers 59 and rods 60 from the under side of the table 1. A stop ring 61 secured to the lower end of the bearing ring 5'7 and overlapping the lower face of the box 58 locks the gear56 and spool-table 50 against upward movement. In Fig. 4- in dotted lines is shown a bushing 62 having an expanded end and adapted to fit within the central opening 51 in the spool-table 50 the expanded end serving to prevent the bushing from dropping-through. This bushing is intended to be used when making packing of small diameter and is designed to keep the core t in the center of the spool-table as it passes upwardly to receive the transverse layers. Similar bushings of varying interior diameter corresponding to the diameter of the core may be employed; the bushing being dropped into the central opening 51 and removable at will.

For the purpose of turning'the spool-table independently of the feed-rolls 15 and 29 and in either direction as desired, two intermediate gang-gears 65 and 66 meshing with each other are arranged between the gear 56 and a gear 68 mounted on and secured to a vertical driving shaft 69. The gang-gears 65 and 66, as shown in Fig. 3 where a portion of the table 1 is broken away to expose the arrangement of the gears, are mounted on upright spindles set in a bar 70 somewhat resembling in plan the letter Y; that end of the bar corresponding to the base of the letter Y serving as a handle 71. One of the short arms of the bar 70 has a sleeve 72 formed on the end through which passes the driving shaft 69. The interior diameter of the sleeve 72 is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft 69 to permit the shaft to turn within the sleeve without friction and a collar 73 secured to the shaft 69 by a set-screw 74 supports the sleeve. The bar 70 is held in position by the sleeve 72 and by a depending hanger 75 having a lateral extension 78. It will be noticed that the arrangement of the gang-gears is such that only one of them at a time may mesh with the gear 56 and in Fig. 3 the gang-gear 65 s shown in that position and thereby the spool-table 50 is turned in a direction opposite to the direction in which the driving shaft 69 is rotated. To turn the spool-table in the same direction as the driving shaft, the bar 70 is moved around the shaft 69 as a pivot far enough to bring the gear 66 into mesh with gear 56 which throws the gear 65 out of mesh with gear 56 and it runs wild. The bar 70 is secured in any position by a nut bolt 7 7 passing through the handle 71 and slot 7 6 in the lateral extension 78.

The spools 52 may be mounted upon the spool-table 50 in any suitable manner which will permit the material to be drawn from the spool by the turning of the spool-table. I prefer, however, to arrange the spools as illustrated in Fig. 6 where each end of a spool is shown in perspective in a separate view. In Fig. 2, the shaft 69 is broken away to expose the mechansm behind it and one of the spools on the spool-table is removed to show the spool-spindle and guide rings. Each spool 52 turns on a spindle supported in upright posts 81 and 82 set in the table 50. These posts dilfer slightly in construction, the post 81 having an integral slotted head adapted to receive the beveled ends of two adjacent spindles 80. Upon the post 82 is mounted a rotatable headpiece 83 whichis provided with a depending pin which fits into a corresponding hole in the post. The head-piece 83 is slotted to receive one end of the spindle 80 which is hinged therein. By means of this construction, the spindle may be moved in two directions; laterally by turning the head-piece 83 and vertically on the hinged end as a pivot. A friction-spring S4 is secured to the spindle 80 between the head-piece 83 and the end of the spool to prevent the spool turning except as the material is drawn from it in the winding process. In arranging the spools on the spool-table, it is neces sary to provide a separate post 82 for each spool but each post 81 serves for two spools. One of the most important requirements of the machine is that the strands of material from the spools on the spool-table shall be laid on the core evenly and accurately and unless this is accomplished the strands will overlap or be separated resulting in defective packing. I accomplish this result by providing suitable guides for each strand of material and for each layer on the packing. For the individual strands, a series of guides 85, one for each strand, is arranged. around and near to the central opening 51 in the spool-table 50. Each guide 85 consists of an eye, through which &

the strand passes, pivoted on a post. (See Fig. '7.) For the layers, two guide rings, 86 and 87 are provided, one for each layer. The guide ring 86 which regulates the first or inner layer on the core is set on posts 88 on the spool-table. The other guide-ring 87 for the second or outer layer is carried by 'a' hanger 89 attached to a sleeve 90 which is located above the central opening 51 and sustained by brackets 91 secured to the table 1. In the drawings (Fig. 3) the spool-table is shown with eight spools, four of which furnish the strands for the inner layer and four for the outer layer, the spools of one group being arranged alternately with the spools of the other group. The number of the spools is not material as it may be increased or reduced.

The guides 85 are of two heights, four having their eyes on a level with the guidering 86 and the other four on a level with the guide-ring 87 in order to guide the strands horizontally under their respective rings. Although but two guide-rings are shown, other guide-rings may be provided if more than two transverse layers of niaterial are desired on the core. For every additional layer, a guide-ring must be provided.

It is essential that the packing when passing through the guide-rings should be at all times in the center and for this reason the sleeve 90 is slotted upwardly from the lower end on opposite sides to permit two depending fingers 92 having yoked ends carrying grooved guide-rolls 93 to be swung into the sleeve 90. (See Fig. 5.) The fingers 92 are each supported loosely on two bolts 9% which are threaded so that they may be secured in holes in the sleeve 90 and at the same time may receive nuts 95 to retain the fingers on the bolts. Each finger has therethrough an adjusting screw 96 provided with a finger-head and having its end abutting against the sleeve 90. The position of the rolls 93 and the distance between them is regulated by operating the screws 96 and nuts 95.

As heretofore stated, it is essential that means he provided for accurately adjusting the relative speeds of the winding and the feeding mechanisms in order to produce packing of various sizes and construction. Any well known means may be employed for adjusting the speed of the winding mechanism or of the feeding mechanism or of both, but I have found in practice that driving the winding mechanism at a constant and uniform speed and varying the speed of the feeding mechanism by employing a i evins cone-pulley of well known construction for driving the pulley 2a through the belt 25, gives very satisfactory results. For the purpose of adjusting the speed of the cone-pulley as required, a drum 97 operated by a hand-wheel 98 secured by a nut 99 is mounted on the table 1 and a rope or cord 100 is given several turns around the drum 97 then passed through sheaves 101 and connected to the belt-shift1ng mechanism of the cone-pulley. As the construction of the latter is well-known, it is not shown in the drawings. By turning the hand-wheel 98 and drum 97 the speed of the feeding mechanism can be adjusted to a nicety.

In the use of the machine, the core-forming mechanism may be dispensed with as a solid one-piece continuous core may be fed through the machine and have applied to it one or more layers of transversely wound strands.

Numerous changes may be made in the arrangement of the parts of the machine and in the details thereof without departing from the scope of my invention and I desire to claim it as broadly as possible in the claims hereinafter presented.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for forming a continuous core, means for feeding said core through the machine and means for winding about said core one or more layers of suitable material; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel and a feedroll cooperating to feed said core between them; said feed-roll being pivotally, adjustably and yieldingly mounted in relation to said feedwheel.

2. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for feeding a continuous core and means for winding material about said core; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel, a frame pivoted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a movable yoke within said frame, a feed-roll carried by said yoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-wheel, and means for adjusting said yoke longitudinally within said frame.

3. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for forming a continuous core from a plurality of strands of suitable material, means for feeding said core and means for winding material about said core; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel, a frame pivoted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a movable yoke within said frame, a feed-roll carried by said yoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-wheel, and means for adjusting said yoke longitudinally within said frame.

4. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for feeding a core and means for winding material about said core; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel, a frame pivotally mounted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a yoke mounted and movable longitudinally within said frame, a feed-roll carried by said yoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-wheel, and adjustable means for moving said yoke within said frame in order to regulate the position of said feed-roll with respect to said feedwheel.

5. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for forming a continuous core from a plurality of strands of suitable material, means for feeding said core and means for winding material about said core; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel, a frame pivotally mounted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a yoke mounted and movable longitudinally within said frame, a feed-roll carried by said yoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-wheel, and adjustable means for moving said yoke Within said frame in order to regulate the position of said feed-roll with respect to said feed-wheel.

6. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for feeding a continuous core and means for Winding material about said core; said feeding means com prising a feed-wheel, a frame pivoted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a movable yoke within said frame, a feed-roll carried by said yoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-wheel, means for adjusting said yoke longitudinally within said frame, and means for holding the free end of said frame upward to hold said feed-roll in operative connection with a driving means.

7. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for forming a continuous core from a plurality of strands of suitable material, means for feeding said core and-means for Winding material about said core; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel, a frame pivoted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a movable yoke within said frame, a feed-roll carried by said yoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-Wheel, means for adjusting said yoke longitudinally within said frame, and

means for holding the free end of said frame upward to hold said feed-roll in operative connection with a driving means.

8. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for feeding a core and means for winding material about said core; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel, a frame pivotally mounted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a yoke mounted and movable longitudinally within said frame, a feed-roll carried by said yoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-wheel, ad ustable means for moving said yoke Within said frame in order to regulate the position of said feed-roll with respect to said feedwheel, and means for holding the free end of said frame upward to hold said feed-roll in operative connection with a driving means.

9. In a machine for making packing, the combination of means for forming a continuous core from a plurality of strands of suitable material, means for feeding said core and means for winding material about said core; said feeding means comprising a feed-wheel, a frame pivotally mounted at one end on the hub of said feed-wheel, a yoke mounted and movable longitudinally within said frame, a feed-roll carried by saidyoke and adapted to cooperate with said feed-wheel, adjustable means for moving said yoke Within said frame in order to regulate the position of said feed-roll with respect to said feed-wheel, and means for holding the free end of said frame upward to hold said feed-roll in operative connection with a driving means.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this the twelfth day of June, 1909.

WILLARD G. STAPLES.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. RICHARDSON,

E. F. UNIAC.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

